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How to Select the Best Floor Plan to Fit Your Needs

From the time you open your eyes in the morning to when you go to sleep at night, your home affects the quality of your life — including your mood, your health and your overall enjoyment of each day. If you’re planning a move to a retirement community, selecting the right floor plan to fit your needs should serve as the first step in creating your ideal home environment.

As you review the many floor plan offerings at Edenwald, we encourage you to consider the following key factors before making your decision. If you’d like some personal guidance, we are always here to help.

Your Lifestyle

What’s your daily life like? You may enjoy staying active through fitness pursuits, social opportunities and outings — or you may prefer sticking close to home with a good book or a favorite TV show. Before you select a floor plan, consider how you spend each day and the types of activities you frequently enjoy.

If you’re a very active individual who enjoys getting out, seeing people and visiting unfamiliar places, you may prefer less space than someone who likes to spend more time at home. When you spend much of your day out and about, you may view your home as simply a place to sleep and grab a snack from time to time.

For those who enjoy staying home — whether to read, watch a movie, or spend time with a friend or two — more space may be appropriate. You may appreciate having the kitchen space to prepare meals for yourself and others, or you may want to designate a reading nook that includes a favorite chair and a place to put your mug of coffee or tea.

Whether you prefer an active life in a studio or a quieter schedule with an extra bedroom to house visiting family members, you’ll want to consider your overall lifestyle preferences as you choose the best floor plan for your needs.

Your Design Preferences

Do you prefer a modern or more classic design? Walls covered with art or white, open space? Your choice of floor plan can lend itself to your personal choices in interior design.

If you enjoy lots of art in your home, wall size and placement may matter to you. If you have a green thumb and love to garden, you may be willing to sacrifice a little of your interior space for a larger outdoor balcony or terrace. Individuals who love seeing books throughout their decor may want a den that can be used as a library. Those who love displaying their fine china may prefer a larger dining room.

As you choose among the wide range of floor plans at Edenwald, consider how room size and placement will help or hinder the design of your future home. Other floor plan factors to consider include, balcony or terrace size and shape, number and breakdown of rooms and other factors. These may affect the ways in which you prefer to design and decorate your home.

Your Belongings

Many people who make a move to a supportive living community decide to downsize at least some of their possessions — often by selling, donating to charity or giving some items to friends and family members. Even if you decide to reduce your belongings, however, you may have some treasured items you’ll want to bring along. As you choose your floor plan, consider any furnishings or decorative items that will have a place in your new residence.

If you love your large sofa, for instance, you’ll want to make sure your den or living room has ample space for the piece. A treasured writing desk should get a special spot, and you’ll want to make space for any belongings that enhance your lifestyle, like a record player or stereo, arts supplies and an easel, a favorite reading chair, cooking appliances, woodworking tools or fitness gear. Be sure to plan appropriately for displaying any decorative possessions, including paintings, sculptures, tapestries and rugs.

You can use dimensions provided on floor plans to make your initial selection, and you may want to measure your space before moving in any important items.

Your Privacy

If you live with someone else or expect to have visitors at your new residence, think about your need for privacy and how your new space might fit your preferences. In a two-bedroom residence, you may wish to choose a floor plan that has the bedrooms separated. In a one-bedroom home, consider the positioning of the den — if you choose one — as it may serve double duty as guest quarters.

Think about the placement of windows and doors within your residence as you review the different available floor plans. In addition, if you seek outdoor privacy, be sure to review the size and placement of your balcony or terrace.

Your Future Needs

In selecting residences and floor plans, few people consider how their needs might change in a year, five years or longer. Look at floor plans with an eye on your future health, preferences and needs. For example, if you believe you may experience increasing mobility challenges, you may wish to select a floor plan with a bathroom positioned near your bedroom. In addition, you may prefer a kitchen with access from more than one direction.

It’s possible that while you may not have many visitors now, that could change in the future and you might need more available space. What if you take up a new hobby, such as painting or woodworking, that would require some extra room? By choosing a floor plan with a second bedroom or a den, you gain flexibility to repurpose areas as needed.

The Pros and Cons

As with nearly everything in life, you’ll observe advantages and disadvantages of the many floor plans available to you. Choosing a floor plan to best fit your needs is an extremely personal decision, and the right selection is the one that helps you engage in the lifestyle you desire.

What are some of the pros and cons to consider as you select a floor plan? If you choose a smaller floor plan with one bedroom, you may enjoy the cozy feel and the ability to decorate in a minimalist manner. However, depending on the belongings you bring with you, a lack of additional storage space might become a disadvantage.

Choosing a residence with more windows may add to the overall ambiance with lots of natural light, but you may feel that those same windows reduce your privacy. You may love the look of an open floor plan, but when you have visitors, you may find that the open plan stops you from enjoying your usual, quiet solitude.

The truth is that there is no perfect floor plan for everyone, but you can find the ideal floor plan for your personal preferences and needs. If you have trouble choosing, don’t be afraid to go with your gut instinct. You are the best judge of the type of space that will suit your needs. After reviewing several floor plans, ask yourself one important question: “Which of these home styles do I envision myself enjoying for years to come?”

Enjoy Your New Home at Edenwald

No matter the floor plan you select, you’ll love making Edenwald your home. Located in the vibrant heart of Towson, MD, our community offers a variety of opportunities for exploring your interests, including sightseeing, shopping, lectures and performances and much more. At Edenwald, you’ll benefit from a range of convenient services and amenities just steps away from your private apartment residence. To learn more or to schedule a visit, please contact us today.